Wild world

Wildlife of South Korea

Short article from Wikipedia highlighting issues affecting South Korean wildlife.

Most of South Korea’s forests were cleared over many centuries for use as firewood and building materials. However, they have rebounded since the 1970s as a result of intensive reforestation efforts. The country’s few remaining old-growth forests are protected in nature reserves. South Korea also has twenty national parks. One of the world’s most interesting wildlife sanctuaries has developed in the DMZ, having been virtually untouched since 1953. The uninhabited zone has become a haven for many kinds of wildlife, particularly migrating birds.

Large mammals such as tigers, bears, and lynx were once abundant throughout the Korean peninsula. However, they have virtually disappeared due to human settlement, loss of forest habitat, and over-hunting. The Siberian tiger has not been sighted in South Korea since the 1920s. Bears and wildcats can still be found in the more remote areas, such as Jiri-san and Seorak-san. South Korea also has several indigenous species of deer, including the roe deer and the Siberian musk deer. Wild boars have been growing more common in recent years, thanks to reduced hunting pressure.

Summary from Asian Info which seems a trifle optmistic but worth a read anyway.

Korea is divided into two districts; highland and lowland.  In the highlands are the Myohyangsan and T’aebaeksan moutains, and are home to deer, roe deer, Amur goral, sable, brown bear, tiger, lynx , northern pika, water shrew, muskrat, Manchurian ring-necked pheasant, black grouse, hawk owl, pine grosbeak and the three-toed woodpecker.  The lowlands (peninsula) have a mild climate which is the habitat of black bear, river deer, mandarin vole, white-bellied black (or Tristram’s) woodpecker, faiy pitta and ring-necked peasant.

See also

Wildlife preserve planned for Korean demilitarized zone

Wildlife and nature guides to the world